Chelsea really do not know what they are doing this summer, do they? The Blues are coming off the back of one of their worst seasons since Roman Abramovich bought the club, but things could be getting a whole lot worse for the club.
Antonio Conte failed to replicate his first season success with the Stamford Bridge outfit and even fell far short of expectations from many of the faithful in West London. Chelsea did not even manage to qualify for the Champions League and now the Italian’s future is in doubt.
The managerial situation remains far from perfect at the club, with a number of high-profile names being linked with the role, despite the former Juventus man still being in charge. The likes of Maurizio Sarri, Laurent Blanc, Luis Enrique and Slavisa Jokanovic have all been rumoured.
Transfer uncertainty
With the transfer window opening before the club won the FA Cup final – one of the only positives Chelsea can take from last season – the Londoners would have been looking for a number of realistic targets to bring in this summer.
The lack of Champions League football next season may have an impact on their recruitment drive; however, the situation with the manager may play a significant role in who decides to join them.
The Blues may have to look to a number of their youth prospects, or some of the players that have impressed during the various loan spells, to help them in the next season, with some being able to get some great exposure in the Europa League competition.
The uncertainty surrounding Conte’s future could also see a number of stars decide to leave the club this summer as well, with the likes of Willian, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois all rumoured to be exiting west London.
Abramovich problem?
The Blues could be in for a bigger problem this summer, however, as Abramovich has hit his own personal issues that could throw his own Chelsea future in doubt, causing a number of concerns around Stamford Bridge.
The Russian owner missed the FA Cup victory against Manchester United and former manager Jose Mourinho as he was not allowed back into the United Kingdom due to the expiration of his visa. It is believed that the process had taken longer than normal and could have been down to rule changes from the government.
Others have felt that the tensions between the UK and Russia because of the nerve agent incident have also gone against Abramovich, which makes it even more difficult for him to continue his work as Chelsea owner.
Stadium plans on hold
Those problems, as mentioned, could start to have significant effects on the club as a whole, with the Russian pulling the plug on plans to build a new, larger stadium to help with their aims to conquer global football.
The news has also led to a number of people commenting that Abramovich could be prepared to leave the club if the situation in the United Kingdom does not improve, as he is not allowed to do much on an Israeli passport.
